Forty-two years after matinee idol N.T. Rama Rao launched his Telugu Desam Party (TDP) amidst a sea of people at the Nizam College Grounds, there is no longer any trace of the party he founded in Telangana. Also erased is the lingering influence that movie stars had in Telangana, which gradually weakened after the bifurcation of the Telugu States a decade ago.
The last of the actors who tried his luck at the hustings was Babu Mohan from the Andole (SC) Assembly constituency which he managed to win in 2014, but lost in 2018. In the 2023 elections, contesting on a BJP ticket, Babu Mohan polled only a modest 5,524 votes, losing to Congress stalwart Damodar Rajanarasimha who holds the Health portfolio in the Revanth Reddy Cabinet.
Another film personality who tried her luck was Reshma Rathod aka Reshma Bai Bhukiya who was fielded from the Wyra (ST) constituency in 2018. She polled 1,025 votes or 0.65% vote share. An embarrassing outing, considering the fact that 2,360 voters had opted for NOTA (none of the above) option.
